Xbox and Channel 4 Team Up for Sci Fi Drama Series Humans

Adapts Swedish drama for simultaneous US/UK launch

Xbox Entertainment Studios and Channel 4 have just announced a co-production deal on an English language adaptation of a Swedish sci-fi drama titled Humans.

The series will premiere in 2015, simultaneously launching on Channel 4 in the UK and Xbox in the US. It will comprise of eight 60 minute episodes and is being written by Sam Vincent and Jonathan Brackley (Spooks, Spooks: The Greater Good) and produced by Kudos, the company behind The Hour and Broadchurch. Filming is due to start this summer.

The show is set on another version of Earth where everyone's gadget of choice is a Synth, a robot that's so similar to a person it's transforming how people live. A suburban father of three buys a second hand Synth, hoping it will ease domestic pressure and help things along with his marriage. The Synth has a big old secret, however...

Nancy Tellem, president of Microsoft’s Xbox Entertainment Studios, said “Humans not only questions personal relationships, but we loved how this sci-fi show toys with reality and our connection to technology. This deal with Channel 4 and Kudos underscores Xbox Entertainment Studios' commitment to programming premium TV series with global partners and creating engaging interactive experiences – and sits alongside other original commissions including a Halo TV series executive produced by Steven Spielberg.”

The Swedish original is titled Real Humans, and you can see a trailer for it below.